Disclaimer: I'm sorry to inform you that I do not own Shaman King and I'm also very sorry to inform you that I'm only a human that can commit mistakes… like Typographical errors for example.

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Chapter 4

Taki, the leading man and the owner of the ass Ren kicked, was the leader of a gang of bullies in the school. These little hooligans always push everyone around, and engage in fights inside the school… they're nasty but because they're filthy rich they managed to get away with it. The school never did anything to stop them. Money does make the world go round.

But what does this little information have in relation to this story? Just read on…

Taki was very furious about the embarrassment Ren gave him. He never believed that anyone could do that much damage to him. Because of this he reported it to his gang and they decided to get revenge.

"When I saw that guy again… I'm sure he would get it this time." Taki swore on his clenched fist, his eyes burning with anger.

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Meanwhile we could see from afar Horohoro, Yoh and Ren walking. Each one carrying a plastic bag full of groceries with their faces looking like that they were forced to do so.

"I'm sorry guys if Anna forced you to come with me." Yoh, who was in the middle of the two, apologized.

"That's okay Yoh. I love shopping even if I'm not really shopping for myself." Horohoro said.

"That's what cavemen always say. For all I know that was your first time going inside an actual shopping centre." Ren arrogantly teased.

"Why you little-Chinese-pointy-haired-freak! How dare you call a noble Ainu a caveman!" Horohoro shouted in protest.

"Well maybe because you look like one."

"Take that back."

"Try me!"

The two then carried on fighting each other. Yoh, still in the middle of the two was not very irritated at all… in fact he likes it even more that the two are like this… even though they are quarreling it's nothing that serious unlike the issue about Pirika's adoption. This just goes to prove that everything is going back to normal.

They're in the middle of doing that when…

"Hey you're that punk that pummeled me!" a voice said in front of them.

The three then looked at the direction where the voice came from. There they saw a boy, younger than them, wearing black leather jacket and black shades with a bunch of tough-looking boys behind him.

"You're the leading man from the play!" Horohoro recognized him.

"Yeah I am… my name is Taki."

"Wait, are you looking for trouble or anything?" Yoh asked, smiling sheepishly.

"Yes!" Taki answered roughly, with that Ren and Horohoro placed the groceries down.

"Why?" Yoh suddenly asked.

"Yoh! You don't ask 'why' to someone who just wants to fight you!" Ren said thinking that it was a dumb question.

"Well I'll tell you why." Taki then started.

"You're an idiot! You don't answer to that question!" Ren shouted to Taki.

"Shut up! I want to fight because I need to get my revenge on your friend here, who for your information… kicked my ass!"

"Who?" Yoh asked.

"The pointy-haired one." Taki said pointing at Ren.

Horohoro and Yoh then looked at Ren mockingly.

"You fought a kid?" Horohoro asked, his voice with disgust.

Ren then blushed with embarrassment.

"What! I didn't mean to fight a kid… it was just that… he hurt Pirika! He was going to rape her." Ren tried to say.

Horohoro then turned his attention to the boy.

"What? You did that! I know Pirika is very beautiful (whispers: because she looks like her brother) but she's still very young!" Horo shouted.

Taki then smirked evilly, sticking out his tongue and licking his lips delectably.

"I agree… young and fresh." He said maliciously.

Horohoro then took that rudely.

"You pervert!" he shouted clenching his fist.

"Horo give this one to me." Ren said haling his friend.

"Let's get 'em!" Taki shouted and all the boys at his back began to charge. Horo and Ren then left their plastic bags to Yoh and started to fight back.

Yoh just watched his friends, punch, kick and knock these kids off.

Though the kids were not that much of a fight they sure can crack and punch and have bruised our Shamans once and twice.

"Guys can we just talk about this?" Yoh said.

But he seems to talk to no one.

"That's what you want." Yoh just sighed.

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When the three finally got home Yoh called Tamao and Faust at once so that they could treat the cuts and bruises the two did.

"You didn't even stop them." Anna said raising a brow at Yoh.

"I tried to but… they would not listen." Yoh said.

"I hope you two had learned your lesson." Anna said turning to Ren and Horo.

Horohoro was being treated by Tamao who was holding a cotton ball and applying it gently at Horo's bruise.

Ren was being treated by Faust who was now putting the bandages at his arm.

"Yeah… NEVER underestimate a bunch of high school bullies." Horo said.

Ren didn't answer.

"I bet this has something to do with Pirika." Anna then said.

"He was hurting her!" Ren shouted, seeing how guilty he is.

"Yes, but she has her own life now." Anna answered back without even changing her emotion.

"But she still needs us!" Horo added.

"I thought you understood the situation she is in! Ever since you gave her away you also gave away your responsibility over her. You're not her brother anymore. You don't have any right to kick the ass of her enemies nor to protect her anymore." Anna scolded.

"But…" Horo said being outwitted by Anna once more.

"Accept it Horohoro. You're not her brother anymore." Anna said finally looking at Horohoro in the eye.

Horohoro was stunned.

"Miss Anna I think that was too much." Tamao muttered.

"It's not that harsh Tamao… the truth always hurt no matter how you put it." Anna said while standing up. She then started to walk towards the door passing by Horohoro and Ren.

"If you can't accept that… then you should've not given Pirika away." Anna said and with that she opened the door and walked out of that room going to her own room to listen to the radio privately without being disturbed.

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"Horo-kun…" Tamao whispered, worrying that Horohoro might act all depress again.

She knew how hard he tried to accept the fact that his only family is gone… and she would not let that depress him again.

"Don't worry I'm sure Anna didn't mean to hurt you."

"Tamao… Anna will always be Anna." Horo said while standing up.

"Now if you excuse me… I'll be in my room." He said and with that he also went to his own room in the onsen.

Ren like always left the room without any more word.

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Horohoro was lying on the floor… barely blinking as he stared blankly on the ceiling. He was thinking about Pirika again, like what he always does whenever he's alone. He then closes his eyes as his mind drifts.

Then there was darkness…

"Oniichan! Look I've brushed my teeth." A young Pirika said to her older brother.

"Really? Let me smell." Horohoro said as he leaned to get a sniff of Pirika's breath.

"Mint… that's the toothpaste… but wait… I smell some traces of milk and cheese."

"Oh drat! That's our breakfast." Pirika said sadly thinking that her brushing was useless. But suddenly something came to her mind; she suddenly snapped and looked at her brother.

"Wait! You cooked our breakfast… of course you know what it is! You're cheating oniichan." Pirika said hitting her brother on the arm as Horohoro kept on laughing.

Then all of a sudden that happy scene drowned into nothingness… as another scene from the past appeared.

"Oniichan! Oniichan! You must keep on practicing! Or else those weak Shamans could easily beat you up." Pirika, an older one than the previous, shouted.

"I know Pirika but your trainings are hard. I could hardly rest."

"Oniichan! What about our dream? Come on you should beat them all. I won't let you lose!" the girl insisted.

Horohoro tried to escape but her sister suddenly took a chain and tied him up in it.

But all those are just memories… past events that… well… happened in the past. You may not liked what you did but there's some hindrance that would tell you that you would never have a chance to repeat, replace or take them back… all you can do now is to reminisce and try to accept it.

Horohoro then opened his eyes seeing the ceiling once again… the only difference is that it was now covered in ICE!

"Oh no!" Horo muttered standing up and looking around.

For some reason he had turned everything to ice.

"I'm done for when Anna sees this."

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Back at the Honda mansion, Pirika was taking a nap.

It was a very wondrous dream… she was walking in a green field covered with a certain plant that was very vital for the Ainu tribe but unknown for her.

Then there arrived a horse with a man riding in it. She can't discern his face but she was sure that she knew him. He was very charming, has golden eyes and a bizarrely pointed hair… Pirika giggled for a while…

"Don't I know you?" Pirika asked.

"You saw me once." He replied.

"Yes… in the hospital right?"

The man nod.

"But who are you?"

"Your knight… my princess…" he said as his horse turned back and galloped away.

Pirika tried to chase him but all of a sudden her shoes were gone and the green filed turned into muddy soil with the rain pouring heavily on her… because of the mud she slipped plunging herself in the dirty ground…

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"What!" Pirika shouted getting up from bed.

"Oh what a dream." She said upon realizing that she was sleeping.

She then looked at her cell phone where she saw one message. She took it and read the message.

"Oh it's one of those promos… horoscope…" she read as she continued to push the keypads.

"Feb 9… your horoscope is… you have met the man of your dreams and the one destined for you… to know that he really is the one, you two should have one thing in common." She read on.

"One thing in common?" She muttered.

Accidentally her eyes guided her towards a certain bouquet of roses in her vase… the same roses that Ren gave to her.

"I hope that's my mystery man… my knight… wait a minute!" she paused as she tried to remember her dream.

"The one I saw in the hospital… and the one in our play… if I'm not mistaken… they're the same. But who is he?"

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Will she receive the answers she's looking for or will she forever search for them?

Watch out…

Hope you like this one… thank you for reading this and please review… Thanks!